Is Iran a Threat to the US - Research Paper Example

Is Iran a Threat to the US? Major Cons: Firstly, Iran can further heighten economic crisis of US. Secondly, feud with Iran has dominated internal political situation of US, and might also control the same in future. Thirdly, if diplomatic relations with Iran further degrades, US cannot import oil from Iran. Their resource crisis will increase multifold. Fourthly, US’s involvement in Iran- Israel feud might start a war, and lastly, nuclear weapons produced in Iran can be used against US. Major Pros: Firstly, without immediate aid, Iran will not be able to withstand the foreign military operations, Soviet- supported disturbances and surging tribal disorders within itself. Secondly, US has its military bases around Iran. It will not be easy for Iran to initiate any attack. Thirdly, if an armed war begins, Iran will receive lesser support and aids compared to US. Fourthly, Iran is inferior to US in terms of technology, war strategy, organization and resources. Lastly, no nuclear weapon produced is in Iran. Hence, US must not worry for any menace of nuclear weapons. Major Cons: US have been experiencing a state of uncertainty and concern due to economic meltdown. One can trace several reasons behind it like mismanagement in industries, constrictions in credit marketing, extravagance of public officials’, inadequate high risk loan policies. The result is that it is striving hard to maintain a balance between market response, materialistic outlooks of Americans, meeting the energy requirements and financial stability to US’s economyi . As because US consume 20% oil produced annually and major part of it comes from Iran and its surrounding Arab countries. Therefore an armed war will deepen its economic crisis and lead US to a more paltry condition.ii Relations with Iran have currently determined the political scenario in US. This was most evident during the presidential electoral polls. Its diplomatic relations with Iran and Iraq was so vital that the competing candidates even declared their ways of handling the Iran situation at the Republican Presidential debate. However, veterans like Ron Paul from the US House of the Representatives and Herman Cain, chairman of FRB were against US military invasion. Global politics depends much on US. Thus, US’s policy with Iran would determine distribution of power. iii Until now, US is playing diplomatically by exchanging hard- line statements with Iran and advising its allies to maintain a good relation with important oil- supporters like Iran. If in arms- war, Iran and its allies, chiefly the Gulf countries will withdraw exports to US, chiefly oil. In turn, it will intensely affect US’s economy. Moreover, allegations against Iran for involvement in terrorism might result in remorse as because; Iran too has access to various powerful ‘Shi’i Groups. These groups operate within Iraq and do not approve the US policies, unlike the ‘Shi’i’ Government which shares friendly terms with USiv. This makes Iran a treat not only to Israel but to its ally US as well. Recently US military has been bullied openly in Iran.v It was also declared that US bases will be destroyed if an event of war begins between Israel and Iran. For quite some time, US were providing aids to Israel and Palestine. It has to be remembered that the root cause for this was border conflict between Iran and Israel. Us intervention took it to broader dimensions. The ongoing conflict might start an armed conflict between US and Iran. As far the American and Israeli intelligence reports are concerned, war with Iran will be another long lasting one, and might even surpass the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and fully drain out US’s resources vi If the allegations against Iran are true, by this time it might possess numerous nuclear weapons. Iran will become another nation with “ballistic-missile-defense capabilities”, outside deployment of NATO. Later it would use them for blackmailing US or other nations it is having conflict with. vii Major Pros: Since the Iranian revolutions, Iran has experienced conflicts with Azerbaijani Republic, Turkey, Armenia, Soviet Russia etc.viii These conflicts are still unresolved. Moreover, different tribal groups are still in conflict within Iran. There is lack of resources and no unity among Iranians. In this state, it is very difficult for them to start another war with USix. US have set several military bases, including air bases in countries around Iran. All these countries which share borders with Iran including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, turkey has multiple bases. The places of military bases are also closer to Iran’s border. By this, US can also keep a close watch. According to the present scenario, the diplomatic relations between US and Iran has degraded. But it has not affected much the diplomatic relations US shares with others, especially the Third World countries. Though the nuclear power issue has acted as a uniting force among Iranians, it has not for other nations who also wish to opt for similar venture in nuclear power like Chile, Venezuela, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and several Arab countries. While the Arab countries are inaugurating research about commercial reactors, others have only expressed their interestx . This, however do not mean that they have formed alliance with Iran over nuclear power issue. Compared to US, Iran lacks technological development. Since the Second World War, US has emerged as superpower Naturally, US will get more support on the cause than Iran. This make US stand on more firm grounds. Also, war equipments and technologies of Iran are no match to US. They highly supersede the Iranians in resource, technology, battle force, strategy, organization and logistics. xi From the very beginning, Iran has denied the charges that it is producing nuclear weapons, emphasizing that it is producing cheap electricity for meeting its domestic energy requirements.xii Also, Tehran has no as such reason for developing nuclear weapons, insisting that, it would only opt for developing nuclear weapons when its security will be threatenedxiii NPT is sure about Iran not possessing nuclear arms and even IAEA has certified that Iran has not violated regulations related to nuclear issue. If this be the case, then US need not worry about Iran. Conclusion: Keeping in mind the present condition of Iran, it can be estimated that Iran does not pose any immediate threat to US. US have been in conflict with Iran ever since the Iranian Revolution. Even the regulations imposed by US and International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA] were ignored on several occasions, but a war never broke out. The fact that conventional wars has become outlawed, there are lesser possibilities for a future war. Judging from any point of view, US is the stronger nation, compared to the war-devastated Iran. Be it Information Technology, human resources, strategic approach, organization and aids, US holds an upper hand. Moreover, the laws and regulations, especially regarding the security issues are designed infallibly so as to ensure that US citizens do not face any threat regarding ‘health and safety’. xiv However, the fear of US that Iran will become a threat for the world with its nuclear missiles, bombs and nuclear wastes cannot be totally ruled out, but it can be hoped that no other Islamic nation will opt to undertake measures like Iran, reasons being high costs, controversy and constant threats. Moreover, the allegations, probe and accusations have split the affluent countries, the issue being whether they support Iran or not. Us as a powerhouse will get allies but it will be bigger threat if all the Islamic nations and nations aspiring for nuclear powers unite against US dominion. It is well known that US bore heavy losses of men and resources for war with Afghanistan, in a condition of economic meltdown, the country cannot afford another war in recent time. References 1. Bruno Tertrais, “A Nuclear Iran and NATO,” Survival. 52 (2010 ),48 accessed April 03, 2013, doi: 10.1080/00396338.2010.540782 2. Christopher, Clement, I. “Organic Intellectuals and the Discourse on Democracy: Academia, Foreign Policy Makers, and Third World Intervention,” New Political Science 25 (2003): 352 3. Cuff, David and Andrew Goudie. The Oxford Champion to Global Change, UK, Oxford University Press, 2008. 4. Griffin, L. Eileen, “Schemes and Dreams: Dealing with the Economic Crisis and Cultural Condition of the United States” 16 (2010): 66-67, accessed April 03, 2013. 5. “Iran: If attacked by Israel, we’ll target U.S.”,CBS News, September 13, 2012, accessed April 04,2013. 6. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57518519/iran-if-attacked-by-israel-well-target-u.s/ 7. Kessler, Glenn, “U.S. oil Resources: President Obama’s ‘non sequitur facts’ “, The Washington Post March 15, 2012. Accessed April 5, 2013 http://naturalresources.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=284934 8. Keddie, Nikki, R. Modern Iran: Roots and Revolution. (USA: Yale University Press, 2006), 339. 9. Montopoly, Brian. “Romney, Gingrich at GOP debate: We’d go to war to keep Iran from getting nuclear weapons”, last modified November 12, 2011. Accessed April 5, 2013 from 10. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57323686-503544/romney-gingrich-at-gop-debate-wed-go-to-war-to-keep-iran-from-getting-nuclear-weapons/ 11. Orr, Tamra Iran and Nuclear Weapon, New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, 2009 12. Patrikarakos, David Nuclear Iran: the Birth of an Atomic State (UK: I.B.Tauris, 2012), 65- 69. 13. Souleimanov, Emil and Ondrej Ditrych. Iran and Azerbaijan: a contested neighborhood. UK: Blackwell Publishing, 2007 14. Robin, Wright, B. The Iran Primer: Power, Politics, and U. S. Policy (US, Institute of Peace Press, 2010), 6-7 15. “The Current Situation in Iran (Ore 48)”, CIA Released Document, 1947, accessed April 04, 2013 from 16. http://www.faqs.org/cia/docs/132/0000256620/THE-CURRENT-SITUATION-IN-IRAN-(ORE-48).html. Read More